Sheet clamping arrangement for facsimile apparatus



Dec. 1.6, 1952 R. G. THoM PsoN SFHEET CLAMPING ARRANGEMENT FOR FACSIMILE APPARATUSl Filed Nov. 15. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l IIIA',

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RUSSELL G. THOMPSON :inventor Gttorn s Dec. 16, 1952 n. G. THOMPSON 2,622,000

SHEET cLAuPINc ARRANGEMENT FOR FACSIMILE APPARATUS Filed Nev. 15. 195o 2 srmETs-sm-:T 2

RUSSELL f G. THOMPSON Il. Snoentor 37 |\\v/V l @aMul Utta eg:

Patented Dec. 16, 1.952

SHEET CLAMPING ARRANGEMENT FOR FACSIMILE APPARATUS Russell G. Thompson, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,726

Claims.

This invention relates to a sheet clamping arrangement for facsimile apparatus and more particularly to a sheet clamping arrangement for securing sheets of variable width and/or length to the scanning drum of such apparatus,

In facsimile systems, the picture or informa` tion to be transmitted is generally wrapped around the surface of a drum which is rotated past a scanning beam of light. Since the drum is of a xed size, the sheet to be wrapped around said drum is usually of such size that the lead` ing and trailing edges are secured adjacent each other by the same or similar clamping means. In the event that the sheet is not sufficiently long or wide so that both edges can be clamped, elastic rings are sometimes utilized for holding the sheet in contact with the drum. The prior devices further require that the operator smooth the sheet as it is wrapped around the drum and secured thereto and do not provide a satisfac tory arrangement for efficiently handling sheets of variable width and/or length.

The present invention contemplates a rotatable drum provided with sheet holding means adapted to accommodate sheets differing, withiin limits, in width and/or length. With the present invention, the operator is required tjo merely insert one edge of the sheet beneath the clamping bar and manually rotate the drum. As the drum is rotated, the leading edge of the sheet is immediately7 clamped in position on the drum, and the sheet is smoothed and wrapped around the drum by a plurality of spaced rollers. The drum is rotated until the rollers are positioned adjacent the trailing edge of the sheet, and upon release of a clutch member, the rollers are rotatable with the drum during the scanning operation. The rollers, therefore, smooth the sheet as it is wrapped on the drum, are positioned peripherally of the drum in accordance with the location of the trailing edge of the sheet, and maintain the sheet in contact with the drum as it is being scanned.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a sheet clamping device for facsimile apparatus which will accommodate sheets differing, within limits, in width and/or length.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holding means for the trailing edge of the sheet which is movable peripherally of the drum to a position in accordance with the location of the trailing edge of. the sheet on the drum and which is rotatable with the drum.

And another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the holding means is held against rotation with the drum so that the drum may be rotated relative thereto in a direction opposite to its predetermined direction of rotation for actuating the clamping bar to a released position and may be rotated relative thereto in its predetermined direction to permit the clamping bar to return to its normal or clamping position and to smooth the sheet onto said drum as the holding means is positioned adjacent the trailing edge of the sheet.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art by the description which follows.

Since the present invention accommodates sheets differing in width, the underlap period during which the recorder should print white, i. e., not reproduce the separation between the leading and trailing edges of the sheet, is also variable. Accordingly, the provision of a means adjustable with the manipulation of the sheet holding means for transmitting white during the underlap period, as determined by the width of the sheet secured to the drum, is disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 169,992, led June 23, 1950.

The term leading edge, as used in the following description of the invention and in the appended claims, is that edge of the sheet at which the scanning begins, and the term trailing edge is that edge of the sheet at which the scanning ends. In the present invention the leading edge of the sheet is secured to the drum by the clamping bar and the sheet is maintained in contact with the drum by the plurality of rollers engaging the trailing edge.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts and wherein:

Fig.- 1 is a partial view in perspective of a facsimile apparatus embodying the preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the clutch actuating and drive mechanism adjacent one end of the rotatable drum;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the drum and showing the mounting arrangement for the sheet or paper bail;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of a portion of the drum and showing the clamping bar;

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section through the drum and clamping bar;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views of details of. the clamping bar shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the drum and showing the position of the actuating means with respect to the actuating pin just prior to raising of the clamping bar to its releasing position and with the paper bail latched against rotation; and y Fig. 10 is an end view of the drum and showing one of the positions of the actuating means for the clamping bar with vrespect to the actuating pin on the paper bail in its latched posiion;

The facsimile apparatus, as shown in Fig. l, discloses only the drum portion of the apparatus, 'since the apparatus is of the well-known type in which the transmitting drum and recording drum have a common shaft. The recording drum forms no part of the present invention and has,

therefore, been omitted. A scanning unit I is of any well-known structure for projecting a beam of light onto the sheet II and for deriving electric signals corresponding to the light-refleeting properties of successive elemental areas of the picture or information on sheet II. The drum I2 is rotated at a constant rate while the scanning unit moves along the drum parallel to its axis in a well-known manner. The drum I2 is mounted on shaft I3 which is adapted to be driven in a direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. The drive means for drum I2 comprises a suitable motor I4, a worm I5, a worm gear I5 and two clutch members I'I and I3. The clutch member I'I is carried by worm gear It and contains a clutch socket while clutch member I3, which has a clutch cone, is keyed to but free to move longitudinally of shaft I3. Clutch member I'I and worm gear I5 are freely rotatable on shaft I3 but are restrained from longitudinal movement by any suitable means such as a collar I9 secured to shaft I3.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 8, a clamping bar 2I extends longitudinally of drum I2 for securing the leading edge of sheet II thereto. Clamping bar 2I is biased to a clamping position against L plate 22 by means of springs 23 which are under compression between the under surface of plate 22 and the heads of the guide members or studs 24 extending radially through plate 22 and secured to and spaced along clamping bar 2I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The clamping bar 2| is moved radially to a position for releasing the edge of the sheet secured thereunder by an actuating means comprising a camshaft 25 common to all studs 24 and crank members 2 which-are operated in a manner to be described hereinafter. Cam shaft 25 extends through the ends of drum I2, is rotatable with drum I2, and has cam surfaces 28 formed by grinding flats in said shaft. These cam surfaces are ground to a depth suiiicient to clear the heads of studs 24 at their lowest limit of travel, as shown in Fig. 6, and permits a limited rotation of shaft 26 without moving bar 2|. Referring now to Figs. 5 andv8, it will be noted that shaft 26 has an additional fiat 29 at each end thereof against which a floating follower is pressed by spring 3l under compression between plate 22 and follower 33. This cam flat 29 is milled to a depth which is less than the radius of shaft 26 so that said shaft is stabilized in the position shown in Fig. 8, i. e., shaft 25 is unstable in any other angular position in which the face of follower 30 is not tangent to the circular portion of shaft 25. This stabilized position of shaft 25 is such that the bifurcated crank members 21 secured to the ends of shaft 26 are maintained in the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The clearance provided between flats 28 and studs 24 allows cranks 2'I to be rotated through a small angle in a clockwise direction without affecting 4 clamping bar 2| for reasons to be described here-r inafter.

The means for holding the trailing edge of sheet II in contact with drum I2 is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and comprises support or bail plates 35, a shaft 36 extending therebetween and parallel to drum I2, and a plurality of spaced rollers 31 spaced along shaft 35, as shown in Fig. 1 to form a paper bail 38. The bail plates 35 are provided with slotted apertures 39 through which shaft I3 extends, the aperture bearing against shaft I3 in one dimension but being larger than shaft i3 in the other dimension to permit sheets of diifering thickness to pass between rollers 3l and drum I2. A spring 43 under tension between a formed-out ear 4i on plate 35 and the formed-out end of an arm 42 having its other end pivotally secured at 43 to plate performs the dual functions of biasing the paper bail 38 against the surface of drum i2 and of pressing a roller 44 carried by arm 42 into engagement with a detent wheel or drive member 45 secured to drum I2. By reason of spring pressed roller 44 engaging detent wheel A45, bail plates can easily be rotated with respect'to drum I2 but will, in the absence of lan outside force, rotate with drum I2. A counterweight is attached to plates 35 for balancing purposes. An actuating member or pin 4l extends from plates 35 toward drum I2 and a latching memberor pin 48 extends outwardly for purposes described hereinafter.

The means for releasing the clutch members II and I8 to disconnect the drive means from drum I2 and for moving the latching means 49 into an engaging position comprises a linkage which is manually operable upon completion of the scanning operation to release sheet II from drum I2 or to clamp the leading edge of a sheet to said drum. The release means is be-st disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 in which a clutch lever 5I is pivoted at 52 to frame 53 of the apparatus'and has an ear 54 provided with a pin 55 extending into a circumferential groove in clutch member I8. A compression spring 55 between clutch member I8 and collar 51 which is securedto shaft I3 serves tobias clutch member I8 into engagement with clutch member I'I. A cam 455, when rotated by handle 5l! through 90 degrees and into the positionshown in Fig. 1 moves clutch lever 5I to the right and thereby disengages clutch members II and I8 to stop` rotation of shaft I3 while the worm gear I6 continues to be rotated -by motor I4. Any other suitable clutch mechanism may,`of course, be employed. With the clutch members disengaged, shaft I3 may "be readily rotated by the hand wheel 6I secured thereto.

With handle 80 in the positionshown fin Fig. 1, clutch lever 5I is in the disengaging, or release, position and the riser on 59 abutsrleverzl, and fol-lower 62 carried on one end Vof lever 63, which is pivotally mounted at 63 on boss 6.4,p`rovided on a portion of frame 53, is in engagement with the lowrportion ofsaid cam. rline other end of cam follower lever 63 is connected through'a link 65 to a crank arm 66 to control the angular position of a rod 61 extending parallel to drum I2 and carrying the latching means or members 49. The follower 52 is urged against the cam by springs (i8V secured to 'the .ends of members4 49. Thus, when handle is rotated to the rightto engage the clutch members I'I` and. I8. 'the riser of cam 59 elevates the follower'v 62 and rotates `rod 61 to move latch members 49 out of the path ofk pins 48. u

In order to insert one end of a sheet und-er the clamping bar 2 I, handle 60 is turned from its normal position to the position shown in Fig. 1. As 'handle 80 is moved to this position, the clutch members I1 and I8 are disengaged and latch members 49 are moved into the path of pins 48, see, Figs. 9 and 10. The handwheel 6I is then rotated in the direction of the arrow, which is the direction of the scanning operation, until latch members 49 engage and latch pins 48 on bail plates 35. The handwheel 6I is now rotated in the opposite direction to rotate drum I2 relatively to the stationary bail 38 until the bi- `furcated ends of the cranks 21 receive pins 41 carried by bail plates 35, as shown in Fig. 9. Rotation of drum I2 is continued until crank members 21 have been rotated about 90 degrees and movement of the drum is arrested by lug 69 on crank 21 engaging the reduced end portion 10 of drum I2, as shown in Fig. 3. This rotation of crank members 21 turns cam shaft 26 to raise the clamping bar 2| to the position shown in Fig. 7 thereby permitting the edge of sheet I I to be inserted thereunder.

The handwheel 6I is then rotated in the direction of scanning and releases pins 41 from crank members 21 to permit followers 30 to return shaft 26, crank members 21 and clamping bar 2| to the position shown in Fig. 6 and in Wh'ich position the edge of sheet II is clamped to drum I2 between plate 22 and clamping bar 2I. Continued turning o the handwheel El rotates drum I2 and sheet II relative to the paper bail 38, the sheet being moved under rollers 31 and wrapped smoothly on the drum. After the drum has been turned to a position in which rollers 31 are adjacent the trailing edge of sheet II, as shown in Fig. 1, the handle 80 is returned to the clutchengaging position which releases members 49 from pins 48 so that the entire assembly of drum, clamping bar, sheet and paper bail will be rotated as a unit for scanning operation.

At the end of scanning operation, the same steps are taken to release clamping bar 2I for removing sheet II from the drum I2. With the clamping bar 2| in its releasing position, another sheet can immediately be inserted thereunder to complete another scanning operation. Since the slot 1I in the latch member 49 engages pin 48' and prevents rotation in either direction, the paper bail 38 is always arrested in the same position with respect to the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 3. Consequently, the clamping bar 2| in its released position for having a sheet pla-ced thereunder or withdrawn therefrom also assumes the same relative position with respect to the paper bail because of the relative location of pins 41 and 48 on bail plates 35.

While for the purpose of disclosing the invention, only a specific embodiment has been described in detail with respect to facsimile apparatus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may .be applied to other apparatus and that many other embodiments may be devised Without departing from the invention, the scope of which is pointed out in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A clamping device for securing a sheet of material to a rotatable drum comprising a clamping bar extending longitudinally of said drum for clamping the leading edge of said sheet to said drum, 'a plurality of guide members secured to said clamping bar and spaced longitudinally of and 'extending radially of said drum, resilient means for biasing said guide members and maintaining said clamping bar in a clamping position, an actuating means operatively connected to said guide members and rotatable with said drum and. adapted to move said guide members and clamp-- ing bar to a position for releasing said edge, al

plurality of rollers spaced axially of said drum.

and in contact therewith for holding the trailing:

edge of said sheet in contact with said drum, aY drive member at each end of said drum and operatively connected thereto for rotation therewith,. and support members at each end of said drum; and operatively connected to said drive members:

and for supporting said rollers therebetween. said support members and rollers being rotatableabout the axis of rotation of said drum independ ently of said drive members for positioning said. rollers peripherally of said drum in accordance with the location of the trailing edge of said Sheet; on said drum and adapted upon movement of said:- drum relative thereto to trip said actuating; means.

2. A clamping device for securing a sheet of material to a rotatable drum comprising a clamping bar extending longitudinally of said drum for clamping the leading edge of said sheet to said drum and adapted to be moved radially of said drum to a position for releasing said edge, holding means rotatable with said drum for maintaining the trailing edge of said sheet in contact with said drum and adapted to be positioned peripherally of said drum in accordance with the location of the trailng edge of said sheet on said drum, a drive means for rotating said drum in a predetermined direction, means operatively connected to said drive means and movable to a. position for disconnecting said drive means from said drum and for engaging said holding means to prevent rotation thereof upon rotation of said drum in said predetermined direction, and a sec ond drive means operatively connected to said drum and manually operable upon disconnection of said drive means for rotating said drum in said predetermined direction and relative to said holding means to position said holding means adjacent the trailing edge of said sheet on said drum.

3. A clamping device for securing a sheet of material to a rotatable drum comprising a clamping bar extending longitudinally of said drum for clamping the leading edge of said sheet to said drum and adapted to be moved radially of said drum to a position for releasing said edge, an actuating means operatively connected to said clamping bar and rotatable with said drum and adapted to move said clamping bar to said releasing position, holding means rotatable with said drum for maintaining the trailing edge of said sheet in contact With said drum and adapted to be positioned peripherally of said drum in accordance with the location of the trailing edge of said sheet on said drum, a drive means for rotating said drum in a predetermined direction, means operatively connected to said drive means and movable to a position for disconnecting said drive means from said drum and for engaging said holding means to prevent rotation thereof upon rotation of said drum, and a second drive means operatively connected to said drum and manually operable upon disconnection of said drive means for rotating said drum in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction and relative to said holding means to a position in which said holding meansioperates saidactuating means .and for rotatingrsaid-drum` in said predetermined direction and. relative to said holding. means to position saidlioldingmeans adjacent the trailing. edge of thezsheet on saiddrum.

LAl clamping'device forI securing asheet of material toa rotatable drum comprising a clamping bar extending` longitudinally of said drum for clamping the leading. edge of said sheet and adapted `to be moved radially of said drum to a position for lreleasing said edge, an actuating means .operatively connected to said clamping bar and rotatable with said drumvand adapted to movesaid' clamping bar to said releasing position,y holding means movable With said drum for maintaining Athe trailing edge of said' sheet in contact with said drum and adapted to be rotated independently of said drumv to a position in accordance with the location of the trailing edge of said sheet on said drum, a drive means for rotatingsaid drum in a predetermined direction, latching means adapted to be moved into a positionuforengaging said holding means for preventing'` rotation of said drum in said predetermined direction, release means operatively connected to said drive means and said latching means and movable to a position for disconnectingsaid drive means from said drum and moving said latching means into its engaging position, and a second drive means connected to said drum and manually operable upon movement of said release means to said position for rotating said drum in said predetermined direction until said latching means engages said-holding means, for rotating said drum in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction and relative to said` holding means to a position in which said holding means` operates said actuating means, and for rotating said drum-in said predetermined direction and-relative to said holding means to release said actuating means and to position said holding meansladjacent the trailing edge of the sheet onsaid drum.

5. A clamping device for securing a sheet of material-to a rotatable drum comprising a clamp- ,ing barextending longitudinally of said drum for clampingthe leading edge of said sheet to said drum. a-plurality of guide members secured to said clamping bar and spaced longitudinally of and extending radially of said drum, resilient means `for biasing said guide members and maintaining said clamping bar in a clamping position, an actuating means operatively connected to said guide members and rotatabiefwith said-'draaiend adapted to move said guide members radially?tol position said clamping bar ina position for `1"e' leasingsaid-nedge, a plurality of rollers spaced' axially ofsaid. drum and in contact ltlfierevlith for' holding the trailing edge of said sheet in contact` with said drum,l a drive'member at each end of saididrum and operatively connected thereto for rotation therewith, a'supp'ort member at each endV of said drum having a latch -memberand a part adapted to engage'saidl actuatingmeans and operatively connected to said drive members" and for supporting said rollerstherebetween', said support members and` rollers" being rotatable' aboutthe axis of said drum and adapted;tdfbe positioned peripherally' ofy said" independently driven members, in accordance Withr thelocation of the trailing edge of said sheet on said drum-1 a drive means for ro'tatinglsaid` drum in arpredetermined direction, latching means adapted to" bemved into a'position for engaging said latch members to prevent rotation of said support members; release meansoperatively connected to said drive means and said latchirigmeansand" movable to a position for disconnecting. said drive means from said drum. and moving said latching means into said engaging position, and a second drive means operatively connected to'saiddru'm 1 ating means, and for rotating said drum in said predetermined direction relative to said support member to release said actuating means and' to position said rollers adjacent the trailing edge of the sheet on said drum.

RUSSELL G; THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,049,917 Mallina Aug. 4, 1936 2,083,044 Storok June 8, `1937 p 2,085,093 Gauthier June 29, 1937 '2,372,774 Finch Apr.`3, 1945 2,514,974 Schauer July 11, 1950 

